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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29542092">Cendrillon</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/PetildaFan/pseuds/PetildaFan'>PetildaFan</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Pins and Runestones [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Subarashiki Kono Sekai | The World Ends With You</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Cinderella Elements, F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 19:26:47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,926</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29542092</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/PetildaFan/pseuds/PetildaFan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Everyone knows the story of Cinderella, but what if things were a little bit different? A retelling of the classic fairytale with a TWEWY twist.</p><p>For the TWEWY Secret Valentine exchange, to @EdAozora.</p><p>UPDATE: This is now the official pilot fic for my main Medieval/Renaissance AU.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Misaki Shiki/Sakuraba Neku</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Pins and Runestones [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2283227</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Part 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I deeply apologize for the delay. This my the first time writing a TWEWY fic and I had a bit of a hard time getting the characters right.</p><p>Also, the fic had to be split into two parts, so expect the second part to come out sometime soon.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Once upon a time, in the kingdom of Shibuya, there lived a simple commoner named Shiki Misaki. At a glance, you could see there was nothing special about her. She was rather plain-looking with short brown hair, always wearing dresses she stitched by hand. Yet despite this special skill, no one really paid attention to her. There were so many beautiful girls in Shibuya that not a single person looked her way.</span>
</p><p class="p2">By the time Shiki was fifteen years old, she had become self-conscious of her looks. She longed to be as beautiful as the other girls in the kingdom. But sadly, it seemed like that was only a pipe dream.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That is, until the day of the princess' birthday.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">It started off as any ordinary day. Shiki was shopping for new sewing supplies and groceries when the town cryer made an important announcement.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"The king and queen hereby announce that for their younger daughter's birthday, they will be hosting a grand ball! Everyone in the kingdom is invited!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">And just like that, the entire town was swept up in excitement. Yet while hurried to prepare for the ball, Shiki felt nervous. As much as she would love to attend, a part of her was worried about fitting in. So in an irrational moment of panic, she bought sparkling green fabric, hoping it was enough to get people to finally notice her.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With the days counting down to the princess' birthday ball, Shiki got to work on sewing a gorgeous gown that she found in a book. Although the illustration depicted the gown as light blue, she was insistent on using green instead. But given that using just one color was a bit plain, she decided to add a bit of black.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Eventually the night of the ball finally came, and Shiki was finished with her work. The gown was sleeveless with a black bow tied around the waist. The skirt portion was double-layered, green on top and black on the bottom. It was the most beautiful dress she had ever made.</span>
</p><p class="p2">Yet as soon as Shiki put it on (along with a pair of black flats), a quick look at the mirror changed things. Yes the gown was absolutely lovely, but she realized there was something off: herself. Even in a new outfit, there was nothing she can do to change her rather plain-looking face. What if people end up looking at her funny? What if she's shunned for trying to be something she's not? Those thoughts built up in her stomach, leaving her unsure about actually attending.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Shiki sighed as she leaned against the mirror. "I wish I could fix this..." she muttered. "Just for one night, I wish I could be someone else..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That could be arranged."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Shiki gasped as she turned around. Standing right beside her was a boy she never saw before. He has grayish-blonde hair and dark grey eyes, wearing layers of white robes. There was something about him that seemed...inhuman.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Who are you?" Shiki asked in awe.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I am an angel," the boy answered, speaking in a slightly feminine voice. "I came to Earth to grant your wish."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You can do that?" Shiki asked, sounding a bit unsure. How could he change her face?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Of course I can," the angel replied. "For just this evening, I can give you a new identity. You will no longer be a simple commoner."</span>
</p><p class="p2">"But how can you do that?" Shiki wondered. "That seems a bit impossible."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The angel chuckled slightly. "Impossible, you say?" he asked in response. "Anything is possible if you believe." He grabbed Shiki's hand. "Let me show you."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">When the angel brought Shiki outside of her house, he got to work. First he walked over to the garden. Spotting a rather large pumpkin, he brushed his hand across the orange shell. As soon as he withdrew his hand, the pumpkin transformed into a golden coach in a flash of light. With Shiki's ride materialized, the angel snapped his fingers, causing two yellow wolves to appear. But they didn't look like ordinary wolves. Their front legs and tails were missing, replaced with purple energy resembling their missing body parts.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"These Alterna Wolves will guide you to the palace," the angel explained. "They are under my control, so they will never stray from the path."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"That's incredible," Shiki complimented. "But must I go looking like this?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Is that how you really feel?" the angel asked in response.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Of course!" Shiki insisted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Very well," the angel said. With a slight hand wave, he revealed a black cat pendant. "This necklace will transform your physical appearance. But once you put it on, you must never take it off, for that will cause the illusion to fade away. Do you understand?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yes, I do," Shiki answered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Very well," the angel replied, holding out the pendant.</span>
</p><p class="p2">As soon as Shiki put the pendant on, her appearance changed, much like what the angel said. Her hair grew longer and changed color from brown to dark pinkish-red, while her eye color became light brown. She could also feel her body become slimmer. The transformation left her in awe. She really did become an entirely different person.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"There you have it," the angel said. "From this moment on, you're free to be whoever you desire. No one will recognize you as the commoner you were before. But like I said, you must never take off the necklace."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Of course not," Shiki agreed. "I will never take it off."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The angel smiled in response. "Then go have fun," he encouraged, revealing large white, feather-soft wings. "Live the life you have always wanted." And with that, he flew off into the night sky.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">Upon arriving at the castle, Shiki left the coach and headed inside. While she was initially mesmerized and nearly got lost, she eventually arrived at the ballroom. Much like she expected, everyone attending was decked out in elegant clothing. But at the moment, the crowd was drawn to the prince and princess of the kingdom, a pair of siblings.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Prince Daisukenojo Bito was the oldest of the two. He was was dressed in white and golden clothing. His younger sister, Princess Raimu, wore an adorable pale orange gown with small white heels and a bell necklace. The two siblings were both blonde and carried a regal aura that highlighted their status. And at the moment, it looked like Daisukenojo was about to say something important. Given that Shiki only heard about the siblings in passing, she wondered if the two were as elegant and proper as they app-</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"'Sup, everyone! Welcome to my sister's birthday!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">...Or maybe not.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This whole party's her idea," Daisukenojo continued. "She wanted to celebrate her birthday by hangin' out with everyone in the kingdom. So relax and have fun. Don't treat us like we're fancy and special."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">While the speech was brief, Shiki was taken back by how informal the teenage prince seemed. Her initial impressions of him were dashed away as he behaved in an uncivilized manner. It was drastically different than how the young princess behaved, who stood up straight and laughed politely behind her mouth.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Some time after that sudden reveal, the ball resumed as normal. Shiki ended up having a lot of fun socializing with the other partygoers. But after a while, she had a surprising encounter with the kingdom's young princess.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Hi there," Raimu said with a cheerful wave. "It's nice to meet you."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Shiki, on the other hand, was left speechless. "Y-You're the kingdom's princess..." she muttered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Raimu nodded in response. "It's nice to see another princess visiting Shibuya," she spoke.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Those words ended up confusing Shiki. "Are you talking about me?" she checked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Of course I am," Raimu answered. "You must be from one of our neighboring kingdoms."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh... That's right," Shiki agreed, deciding to play along. "I'm...Princess Eri from Sapporo. You're Princess Raimu Bito, this kingdom's wonderful princess, correct?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yep!" Raimu happily confirmed. "How are you enjoying Shibuya?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's a wonderful kingdom," Shiki complimented. "But I must say, you're brother is not quite what I expected."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Speaking of Prince Daisukenojo, he was currently talking to an unfamiliar boy nearby. It was a boy Shiki had never seen before, dressed in purple and black with uneven, shoulder-length bright orange hair. Unlike the other partygoers, he was up against the wall, far away from the crowds. So why would the prince be talking to him?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Everyone has that same reaction," Raimu revealed. "They think he's this proper, uptight boy because he's next in line to the throne, but he's not that at all. He still has a good heart, though."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I can tell," Shiki remarked. "He did say he threw this ball for you."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I told him I wanted to celebrate my birthday with everyone in the kingdom," Raimu said. "When we told our parents about it, they decided a ball was the only way for that wish to come true. But I don't mind. I'm happy to spend time with the local villagers."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Suddenly, as the two girls looked over the crowd, Raimu looked surprised. "Wait... That doesn't look good..."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What is it?" Shiki wondered.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, please excuse me," Raimu apologized with a curtesy. "I need to report suspicious activity to the royal guards. I hope you enjoy the rest of the evening."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After saying farewell to the young princess, Shiki was wondering what else she would do when she was unexpectedly slammed into the orange-haired boy from earlier. Upon closer inspection, she noticed his uneven hair was partially tied up in a low ponytail. And for some mystical reason, she was drawn towards him. From what she could tell, he appeared to be a bit shy. So what was he doing by her?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Yo!" Daisukenojo called out from afar. "You got this!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Um... Hi there," Shiki greeted. "Can I help you?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No," the boy bluntly answered. "The prince made me come here. I don't need company."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You really shouldn't be standing all alone," Shiki advised, trying not to sound rude. An idea popped into her head and she grabbed his hand. "Don't you want to have fun and dance?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Get your hands off me," the boy spat out as he pulled his hand away from Shiki.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh come on, it'll be fun!" Shiki insisted. Before the boy could protest she grabbed his wrist and dragged him to the dance floor.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Realizing he didn't have any other choice, the boy sighed in defeat. "Fine..." he muttered, holding Shiki's hand and waist, while she placed her other hand on his shoulder.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">What followed could only be described as magical. Shiki danced with this mysterious boy to the soft music from the orchestra. Yet as they swayed and twirled to the music, the false princess overheard hushed whispers from the staring crowd.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Who is this mysterious princess?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Why would she dance with the town loner?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I thought for sure she would catch the prince's attention."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That's right. Shiki didn't hear other people talk about her. Most of the hushed whispers were about the boy she danced with. Yet while they talked about his status as a town loner, she was all the more confused. She didn't know about him until now. Were the rumors really all that true?</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Part 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Unfortunately, the magical time quickly came to an end. For once the song was finished, the boy was quick to depart. Curious by the sudden rush, Shiki decided to follow him. What was it about him that felt so...entrancing?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Some time later, Shiki was able to catch up to the boy in the castle's garden, much to his dismay. "Why are you following me?!" he spat out. "You got your dance! What more do you want?!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I just want to talk," Shiki insisted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Look, I don't know how things work back in your home kingdom," the boy said. "But when someone wants to be alone, you should let them be alone."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then why did you come here?" Shiki asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"You wouldn't understand..." the boy muttered. But a quick look at Shiki's face changed his mind. "Okay, fine." He sat down at a nearby bench. "My parents made me come. They thought it would be better than sitting at home moping."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Shiki sat next to him. "Is that was you normally do?" she guessed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I don't do people," the boy continued. "But when my parents heard about the princess' birthday ball, they stuffed me into this suit and told me to go." He paused. "So what's your reason?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"For attending the ball?" Shiki asked in response. "I wanted to have fun."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Fun?" the boy scoffed. "What's fun about going to a stiff, upper-class party where people in uncomfortable outfits talk about how rich they are? Isn't that what you royals do?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Don't look at it so negatively," Shiki encouraged. "Think of it as an experience."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Other than looking like a fool among wealthy snobs?" the boy dismissed.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"It's a night to have fun," Shiki corrected. "It's not every day you can discard the burdens of the lower class life and have fun doing something different. Haven't you wanted to do something like that?"</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...Sort of," the boy muttered, averting his gaze from Shiki. "I just didn't want to be somewhere that was out of my element."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Shiki thought back to how all those other people were whispering about him. "Well...do you want to try the whole dancing thing again?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"What...?" the boy asked in response.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Shiki stood up and grabbed his hand once more. "Come on, it's just us," she insisted, forcing him to get back on his feet. "No one else is here to judge you."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...So you heard what they were saying," the boy realized.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It's just us," Shiki repeated. "So come on... Won't you try it again?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">After a bit of silence, the boy let out a small sigh and placed his free hand on Shiki's waist. Once she placed her free hand on his shoulder, the two gently swayed...to a small humming song coming from his throat. It took a while for Shiki to realize he was partially humming <a href="https://youtu.be/V_HQd2IHnzI">a familiar song</a> she often heard in town square. She smiled, letting herself be caught up in the sweet sensation.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Now this truly was a magical experience. Without the judging whispers of onlookers, Shiki found herself drawn towards the boy. Despite having just met him, she started to see him in a different light. While his bangs were partially covering his eyes, she somewhat see flashes of light blue behind the orange locks. He was smiling as well, although it was barely noticeable, causing her heart to skip a beat. What was going on with her? Why was this boy making her feel so...odd?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Shiki had lost track of the time at this point. It felt like hours when the two finally stopped. "Thank you...princess..." the boy shyly muttered, moving both hands to her waist.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh...you're welcome..." Shiki replied, feeling just as shy as well. Could she be falling in lo-</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"AAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">The two were cut off by loud screams coming from inside. Without wasting any time, they ran back to the ballroom...only to see pure chaos. The once-peaceful ball was disrupted. Several people dressed in black with flame-like tattoos on their bodies were facing off against armored guards. The partygoers were panicking, which only made things worse as a few guards tried to calm them down.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">As for Daisukenojo and Raimu, they were being shielded by a black-haired man wearing armor. Wielding a spear, he fended off a black-clad man with grey hair and a black tattoo covering half of his left arm. Given by how his armor looked different compared to other guards, the black-haired man was probably their captain.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Don't worry, your highnesses," the guard captain told the prince and princess. "My men and I will take care of these intruders. Please escort everyone to safety."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No way, man!" Daisukenojo disagreed. "I ain't lettin' you fight solo!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"This is an order," the guard captain insisted. "Your parents put me in charge to make sure you were safe, and I intend to follow through on their decision."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"But-!" Daisukenojo shouted.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Please, brother," Raimu said. "Let Mr. Hanekoma handle it. We can't let anyone else get hurt."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"...Fine," Daisukenojo hesitantly agreed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">With that, the blonde siblings tried to calm down the panicked crowd. Unfortunately, that barely did anything because the next thing Shiki knew, everyone tried to make a mad dash for any exit. This also led to people shoving each other to try and escape. It was during this shoving that Shiki accidentally bumped into the orange-haired boy. And after a sharp yank, she could feel something metal slip from her neck.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Realizing that she was no longer wearing her pendant, Shiki panicked and quickly fled the castle. Luckily by the time she had made it to the palace steps, the pendant's illusion had worn off, causing her to revert back into her original self, short brown hair and all. And given that people were more focused on the sudden intrusion, no one even noticed the disappearance of the visiting princess.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Yet as Shiki got back on the wolf-drawn coach and it took her back home, she thought about how aside from the unexpected departure, she actually had fun attending the ball. Not only did she get to talk to the kingdom's princess, she also danced with whom she ultimately realized was a cute-looking guy. Best of all, she was finally able to experience life as someone else. Everyone else thought of her as a princess from another kingdom, so she was more than happy to play along with those assumptions.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">But sadly, the fun had to end eventually. Yet even though Shiki would have to go back to her normal, commoner life, she'll always have the memory of the seemingly-magical night.</span>
</p><hr/><p class="p1">...Which didn't go away, unfortunately.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">What started off as an ordinary day quickly turned for the worst. The town cryer had announced that all girls in the kingdom were to be reported to the castle. Apparently the prince was on a search to find the owner of a discarded necklace. While initially hesitant, Shiki ultimately decided to go, wondering if this necklace was the same one she lost last night.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">By the time Shiki arrived at the palace (wearing her favorite tan dress and black flats), there was already a crowd of girls waiting in line. Realizing she was the last girl to show up, she had no other choice but to wait. So as she waited, her curiously only grew, wondering why the prince would do such a thing. She only spoke to his sister and a fellow commoner at the ball. Why would he-</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <em>"The prince made me come here. I don't need company."</em>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Oh.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Apparently the commoner she happened to meet must have been friends with Prince Daisukenojo. He must have insisted on helping him find the pendant's owner.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Of course, waiting didn't take very long. Each girl who visited the castle quickly left. By the time the last girl had left, it was almost noon. Well, the second-to-last girl, that is. Because sure enough, it was finally Shiki's turn.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Naturally the prince and princess (who was accompanying him for some reason) were dressed in more casual attire, with Daisukenojo wearing a white shirt, yellow pants, and red shoes and Raimu wearing a light grey dress and black flats. Accompanying them was the same orange-haired boy from last night, now wearing a black shirt, white pants, and black shoes. His hair was untied, resulting in his shoulder-length hair covering most of his face.</span>
</p><p class="p2">"So, you here 'bout the announcement?" Daisukenojo asked.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Oh, uh... Yes," Shiki confirmed. "You were trying to find the owner of a missing necklace."</span>
</p><p class="p2">"You're sort of right," the orange-haired boy confirmed. "I wanted to go door-to-door, but his highness insisted on helping me out."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"H-Hey!" Daisukenojo shouted. "I did the best I could do!"</span>
</p><p class="p2">"So...may I see the necklace?" Shiki asked, trying to act innocent.</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Sure," the boy replied. He held up the pendant. "Does this piggy necklace belong to you?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wha- Pig?!" Shiki asked. "It looks more like a cat!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Whatever..." the boy sighed. "So is it yours or not?"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">At that moment, Shiki was caught in a moment of hesitation. As much as she wanted to confirm that it was, she realized those three were probably looking for someone else. Someone who didn't look anything like her. What would happen if she said 'yes', anyway? Assume she was lying and move on? And even if they realized it was the same girl...</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">...would they even accept her true self?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I'm sorry," Shiki ultimately said. "You must have me confused for someone else. That's not my necklace." She turned to face away the group. "Well then...I must be going. Good luck with your sea-"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Suddenly, a soft humming sound interrupted the brunette's thoughts.Turning back to the group, she saw the boy walking up to her, humming the same song from last night. The only thing that came from her mouth was a soft gasp, unable to say any words in response. This allowed him to slip the pendant around her neck. Yet unlike last night, her appearance remained the same, confirming that the angel's warning was true.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"It is you," the boy spoke up. "The princess from the ball."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Wha- No, I'm not," Shiki disagreed, taking a few steps back. "I'm not a princess. Just an ordinary commoner living in Shibuya."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Then why do you have the princess' voice?" the boy suddenly asked.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Shiki was unable to respond to that. "And you reacted to the song from last night," the boy continued. "The other girls who came before you didn't recognize it."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"I-I..." Shiki stammered, unable to handle his closeness and everything he was saying. And why was he looking at her so intently?</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"So it is you!" Raimu cheered. "You're Princess Eri of Sapporo!"</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"No," the boy corrected. "I had a feeling that necklace was enchanted to alter your appearance. It's most likely you went by a different name last night as well. So what's your real name?"</span>
</p><p class="p2">"I-It's...Shiki," the brunette girl answered, still feeling a bit shy. "Shiki Misaki."</p><p class="p2">"Heh... Nice to meet you, Shiki," the boy said, leaning closer to her. "I'm Neku Sakuraba."</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">"Neku, huh?" Shiki asked. "Cute name."</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">That surprised Neku. "Sh-Shut up..." he muttered as he blushed slightly.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">From that day on, life was never the same for Shiki. Although Neku was no prince, the two still hung out in the marketplace quite a lot. And due to his newfound connections with Prince Daisukenojo (apparently because he insisted on being his friend), he and Princess Raimu happily accepted the two commoners to visit the palace from time to time. Overall, this changed Shiki for the better...as well as Neku, surprisingly. While he was still a bit anti-social, hanging out with his new group of friends was gradually removing his self-proclaimed 'emo urges'. He also started to develop somewhat of a crush on Shiki, resulting in their mutual feelings being revealed.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <span class="s1">Overall, it seemed things were finally becoming better for Shiki. Thanks to a mysterious angel and the princess' birthday ball, she was able to expand her world and meet new people in her life. And with everything turning out surprisingly well, one could assume that from this point out, she and her friends will live happily ever after for many years to come.</span>
</p><p class="p1">
  <b>THE END</b>
</p>
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